REFERENDUM EXPERIENCE
New Jersey American Water has been selected as the highest responsible bidder and successfully navigated a referendum for several water and wastewater system acquisitions. As noted above, Bound Brook, Long Hill, and Mount Ephraim all required a referendum where voters decided that New Jersey American Water would be the best owner and operator of their wastewater system.
For each referendum, New Jersey American Water focuses on educating residents about the benefits of acquisition and what it means to have New Jersey American Water as their water or wastewater service provider.
| Municipality | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Haddonfield Water and Wastewater |
2014 | Success – 67% Yes, 33% No |
| Mount Ephraim Wastewater |
2018 | Success – 79% Yes, 21% No |
| Long Hill Wastewater |
2019 | Success – 67% Yes, 33% No |
| Bound Brook Wastewater |
2021 | Success – 62% Yes, 38% No |
If selected as the winning bidder, New Jersey American Water, in partnership with the Borough, would execute an educational campaign prior to the November election highlighting the reasons for and benefits of the wastewater system acquisition. The campaign would include social media content, informational videos, media coverage, digital newspaper ads, public meetings, participation in community events, door-to-door outreach, and more.
Here are snapshots of content used in the successful 2021 Bound Brook wastewater system acquisition referendum.
